One of three black types on the Ipswich Cup Day program this weekend, the $175,000 Listed City Of Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) attracted 13 final acceptors yesterday.

Of those the current favourite at $4.80 in the Eye Liner Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is the Kelly Doughty-trained Gold Coast galloper Black Cash.

The Show A Heart five-year-old comes via a nice fourth when beaten just over a length by the winner Sacred Star in the Group 2 QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.

With good form up to a mile, including their third to Someday in the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) back in December, the grey gelding looks well suited to Saturday’s distance and from the inside alley is a definite chance.

They will be ridden by Michael Cahill though in a jockey change with their QTC Cup hoop Tegan Harrison riding rival Eye Liner acceptor Qfigther ($17) on the weekend.

Drawn at the opposite end of the Eye Liner Stakes field in gate 12 is then the second favourite and market mover Masthead.

Chris Waller’s Sydney visitor also comes via the QTC Cup from Queensland Oaks Day, the Written Tycoon gelding having finished a very close second.

They were beaten under half a length that day in their Queensland debut that was also just the five-year-olds’ third run back down under after a two year stint in Singapore with Michael John Freedman.

While Masthead’s QTC Cup effort was better than Black Cash’s, their wide draw on Saturday and rise from 53kg to 56.5kg on Saturday has seen the bookies and punters take a cautious approach to their chances in the Eye Liner.

The two other hopefuls under $10 in the markets are then Into The Red ($6) and Alma’s Fury ($9) both drawn well in barriers two and four respectively.

Into The Red gets in on the 54kg minimum, Kelso Wood’s Not A Single Doubt colt to be ridden by Jason Taylor with their regular jockey Chris Munce jumping off for the ride on Masthead.

An up-and-coming three-year-old, they’re looking to improve on their disappointing effort in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1400m) last start when they beat home just one other runner crossing 17th behind Sir Moments.

They had a terrible gate that day (15 of 18) and were forced to go right back, they were blocked for a run throughout and it’s an effort those in the know will be happy to draw a line through with Saturday’s prime alley and distance to suit far better.

Alma’s Fury meanwhile comes from the stables of Doomben 10,000 winning Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan, and while they’ve got a gate, they’ve also got the 59kg top weight to overcome.

They’re second-up for the season, the Refuse To Bend six-year-old having resumed on May 31 with a seventh in the QTC Cup that the bookies are tipping the 46-start veteran to improve on here.

Other notable hopes in the mix at more generous odds then include Top Echelon mare Ellawisdom ($11) coming off a win in the Listed Bright Shadow at Eagle Farm, More Than Ready seven-year-old Phelan Ready ($12) resuming for another campaign here and another last start Brisbane winner over this distance (1350m) Regular ($13).

The table below has the latest Eye Liner Stakes 2014 fixed win odds with links taking you straight to the country’s leading online bookmaker Ladbrokes.com.au so you can lock in your early selections at their current prices!

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